He said the reconstruction process will include the entire Aleppo province with a primary focus on urban services.

Tractors start to clean up areas formerly held by Takfiri terrorists in the northern city of Aleppo on December 27, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

The operations include removing the debris, cleaning up the streets, providing security for vehicles and reopening schools after four years, Diab said.

He said 20 schools have been reopened for 5,000 students and three health centers have started providing medical services to the citizens.

Following the liberation of Aleppo in late 2016, the Syrian government adopted a plan of action meant to restore public services and security to the northwestern city.

The plan includes a range of measures such as the opening of Aleppo roads, providing water, electricity and fuel to citizens as well as assessing conditions for repair and reconstruction activities there.

Lavrov ‘optimistic’ on Syria peace process

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed optimism over the prospect of peace process on Syria, saying the meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana on January 23 is as an important step toward establishing a framework for talks taking place in Geneva.

“As you know an inter-Syrian meeting between the Syrian government delegation and armed opposition will take place next week in Astana. We view this meeting as an important input into work on parameters of integral political reconciliation in the Syrian Arab Republic which will continue at larger events in Geneva in the beginning of February,” he added.

Russia is currently in talks with Iranian officials on preparations for the upcoming Syria peace talks, among them the possible US presence in the discussions.

Iran has voiced strong opposition to the US participation in the upcoming Astana talks, citing Washington’s dedication to the ouster of the Syrian government and its longtime support for the Takfiri terror groups operating in the Arab state.

Representatives from the Syrian government and foreign-sponsored opposition groups are expected to take part in the Astana negotiations.

The conflict resolution talks on Syria are brokered by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran. The three sides have in the past months been engaged in a diplomatic process, which helped establish a ceasefire in Syria late last year and bring back Damascus and opposition groups to the negotiating table.